Official DC United vs Columbus Crew POST Match Thread [R]

Just got back from Columbus. That was a good time. Very nice tie on the road with the team playing well and refusing to bunker. Having Baumstark back there served to remind the entire team about the need to maintain possession.

My thoughts:

1. Everyone stepped it up tonight, from Marco right down to the assistant trainer.

2. La Norte South was in full effect. We had all the banners up, the bombo going and the voices loud and proud. More on that below.

3. I can't figure out the Crew. During the first three minutes of overtime, they looked like they were toying with us. Honestly, if they had played like that the whole game, they would have destroyed us. But I don't recall a single threatening shot from them aside from the goal. On the other hand, we looked like crap for fairly long stretches, but still managed to pull it out. We could have had another couple of goals if not for some great saves by Busch.

4. Marco played both ends last night. Certainly not the Marco of old, but if he's willing and able to have as much defensive steel in his game as he had last night, he may be the solution at H-mid. He won some balls in the box where he was alone against an attacker.

5. The defense in general was very strong. While the midfield left too much space between them and the back line, Nellie pushed up slightly and closed the space down.

6. Baumstark's offical DC United greeting was "Hey, are you Baumstark?" He didn't seem to know what to make of us.

7. On the other hand, the other players sure did. When we marched in and started in on the drum, they all smiled and waved. After the game, they all came over and we shared props.

8. Security at CCS is hilarious. Watching over us was a 45 year old housewife and a Revenge of the Nerds reject. They wouldn't have lasted 10 minutes in the Barra. Apparently, CCS has a "no cursing" policy. So when we had the "oooooooooo..... YOU SUCK ASS WHOLE" chant going, they came over and asked us not to swear. Later on, when we got the PK, some guy near us started chanting "B*******t" and we tried to get security to kick him out. Also, they don't understand Spanish, so we just swore in Spanish.

9. Dave Johnson before the game: "Seeing you guys here made my day!" Here's someone who really cares about United.

10. Assorted people at Crew Stadium: "You guys are a lot better than any of the other fans here." I didn't see any fans in the Northend, but I assume they were there. Good the CCS PA system goes to 11 and doesn't stop playing, otherwise we really would have been the only voices there.

Sachin

 

absolutely yes
there will be another season, another championship...and we have three already. We are still the most decorated and most globally known and respected team in the league. I wouldn't have missed my sister's wedding for the world and wouldn't expect anyone else to

 

Excellent effort by the men. Nothing else to say that probably hasn't already been said. Much as I've criticized Marco and Chino this season, they played very well last night.

 

See, and I thought Marco got better as the game went on. It was about 20 minutes in before I even realized he was playing. As the second half wore on, he began to assert himself more on both ends.

This is how I saw it:

Marco receives the ball on the left side just outside the area. He has two options: a) send in a cross or b) penetrate the box, where there is space. Now, for an inswinging cross he would have to use his right foot. That ain't gonna happen, so he chooses b.

Damn good play, and the penalty was fully deserved, so equating him with Serna and Ruiz is just absurd.

 

As a columbus fan I was at the game it was physical but fair for the most part. Ref called a little to much on both ends instead of letting the players just play. In the end I will admit Columbus was purely outclassed and doesn't have the motivation to make the playoffs.

Most fans of Columbus wouldn't want to see them in the playoffs at the moment because how horrid they would play in the playoffs. As for fans being upset, yes we are very upset. We pay hard earned cash to watch this joke of a team. There have been talks of fans not renewing season tickets and even bailing on the team, unless a new coach is found.

MLS should be prepared, because I am sure that in the offseason the Crew will make the news by letting Greg go(it is his final year of contract) I am not sure who I will cheer on in the playoffs. Certainly not LA or Metros(i cannot stand them)

 

Take the road point and run. The Sad Day For Soccer was Sunday if you are a US Women's Soccer fan....

 

Is the name Sormun or Sourman?

 

I think Sormun should visit the PRE-Match threads more often with good stuff like this...

 

dude, does that translate to "the little rabbit?" never mind, have become so jaded by whats his names constant bararge of negativity that I'm not even commenting on it any more, the dudes like Dennis Rodman, it's all about attention. Really happy about the tie, it's way better than a lose and we had several guys missing, ... but still was a little disappointed. I guess I was over optemistic, but I really thought the guys could gut out a win.

 

1) DC has not clinched a playoff spot.
2) There are 4 other teams that have to PLAY BETTER THAN DC FOR THEM NOT TO CLINCH A PLAYOFF SPOT!!! You know it's quite possible that no matter how poor DC looks in your eyes, that they still could EARN a playoff spot, on their own merits.
3) Isn't that exactly how you are [soccersnob italics]supposed[/soccersnob italics] to play on the road? Bunker in, try for the tie?
4) Sormun--Bigsoccer's #1 reason to buy that premium membership for the ignore button.

Thx,

Jay!

 

Except we still had Jorge Geddes on the roster and on the bench for the game. Hudson said he didn't think Geddes was ready and that's why they brought in another keeper. We could've played Geddes and had no backup keeper. Some teams have done this for away games taking a calculated risk to not have a need for the backup.

 

Yep, it sure does mean "little rabbit"... rabbit has in one way shape or form followed me thruout my life, however, i do not bear any resemblance at all to a rabbit FWIW

I meant by my previous post that if sormun can just re-direct that negativity to the other teams, we would have some pretty amusing Pre game rants...

 

Fully deserved?!?!? I won't say outright that Marco dove completely, because his back leg did make contact with Hedjuk's. However had he not gone down, there's no way Marco gets to that ball. That call could have gone either way and the ref could have sold it. He decided to give the PK this time. I wouldn't be complaining if he hadn't given it either. To say it was fully deserved is stretching it. It was a call that could have gone either way and in this case it worked out in our favor.

 

I'm not going to get into the Warren issue- I said my peace on that thread. However, this game had MAJOR importance. If you don't think so, then I don't know what constitutes major in your book.

Anyway, the boys fought hard under adversity and came away with a HUGE point. Our margin for error is still slim, but it's not as razor thin as it was on Saturday morning.

Some thoughts:

-I'm glad to see Etch continue to confound the critics.

-Why is Namoff still a second-thougth "stand-in."

-The stand-ins played their asses off. Kudos to them.

-Sounds like C-bus is crap. Fire Andrulis... uh, wait, on second thought, keep him around. He makes it easier for us.

 

10. The five year old in the parking lot talking smack to Sachin.

9. At the bar after the game someone asked if Chico was the guy with the drum. In classic style, Bison responded "Chico is not the guy with the drum, he is the guy with the rum"

8. Various people in the stadium talking about how their North End could learn a lot from us.

7. The section of kids in crew jerseys chanting DC United with the drum.

6. At the bar after the game someone asked if Chico was the guy with the drum. In classic style, Bison responded "Chico is not the guy with the drum, he is the guy with the rum"

5. GUS.

4. Security finally working for DC fans. After security asked us to watch our language a crew fan started chanting *#*#*#*#*#*#*#*# and we stuck security on him.

3. After having to watch our language all game we watched Ray on the Post Game Conference on the stadium screen (great idea) and got to hear Ray drop the F bomb over and over.

3. The security guard who doubles as a high school band leader talking about how Luis needs lessons and his technique is all wrong

2. A hard earned draw.

1. And of course a hard earn draw fell on the right side of the OPRAH LINE

 

Playoff Grit

Amen to everything said about the game. This is the time we would have folded in the past. The wheels are off, Reyes, Rimando, Olsen, Petke, Dema, Q1, Ring-bearer all out. But the heart they displayed underscores what this team went out and did in the offseason (against all the naysayers): they got players who just will not quit. Not pretty, but they keep getting up and doing the Dawn of the Dead crawl. Chino, Q2, Stewart and Marco--and everyday Nellie--showed me effort both ways and sacrifice we haven't seen in a long time. So in the playoffs when they all get on the pitch, how do you like our chances?

 

Why not us?

 

game results and playoff prospects

Said in the other PGT great overall team effort, gutsy performances all around. Guys and gals, we eeked out a tie on the road against a desperate team with a keeper we hadn't even met yet? HUGE PROPS to the defense. Forwards and wings when they got there played menacingly in the offensive third. Marco's play and PK made up for our inconsistency at mid-field. I predicted as much that Ray & Co's decisions during this game would matter huge- and as such, HUGE props in selecting formation, positions, and subs. It's alot to hope for, but we'll see if we've had wolves in sheeps clothing where our coaches and subs are concerned. Seems like they got the team figured literally to the last man(who else was left?). Huge sigh of relief to see the vets play a dedicated 90+ with enough in the tank to threaten in the additional 10 (OT), and Stoichkov returning from his injury and making a good impact on the pitch.
The bonus from this match- aside from inching us closer to cinching the playoff berth, is the film the team will have to review in leading to the next game. Great for positive feedback in showing great determination and great defensive effort, but good for critically analyzing where to improve on simple possession in space in the middle third.
Sad thing is, San Jose was no help in gaining upperhand over Scum, and NE may have gotten some fine tuning in whupping up on Dallas. I hear ya already, yeah, it's Dallas, but people, they went up 3 goals on'em in no time flat- who better than to try your blueprint out against our defense?
And thanx to all who pulled out the stops, religious,superstisous, whatever- no injuries, no major card issues for Saturday- (right?) Whatever was done seems to have helped- any chance we bottle it for the rest of the season?
oh yeah, and if anyone's wondering, never got that 1-800 number for the soccer gods, so someone's holding out on me....

 

PTHs?? it must have something to do w/ women...

that bewildered me..

Speaking of bewilderment, did anyone get a look at Frankie Hejduk's atrocious step-over? I know its been criticized in the US MNT forum but my goodness a 4-year old can do better. This is why I so wish Adu would come to the MLS, so people can see what an effective stepover looks like.